Donor Spotlight

Donor Spotlight

Jo Ellen Diehl Yeary | Generosity rooted in pride, remembrance, dedication to home

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Guernsey County Foundation

For information on ways to give to Guernsey County, click here.

The Guernsey County Foundation could be described as a “friend raiser” for charitable funds benefiting Guernsey County. By leading others to open component funds for the county with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.


2022 Annual Report

To view the Guernsey County Foundation’s 2022 annual report, click here.


Grant Opportunities

The Guernsey County Foundation is partnering with FAO’s I’m A Child of Appalachia® Fund to provide a grant opportunity to nonprofits, schools, and public organizations working to benefit Guernsey County residents.

2023 grant applications closed on September 12, 2023.

Helpful Links and Documents:


2022 Grant Recipients

  • American Red Cross of East Central Ohio for the purchase of smoke detectors to be installed in area homes.
  • Buckeye Trail Preschool for the purchase of iPads to incorporate technology into the program’s curriculum.
  • Cambridge Area YMCA Family Center to help purchase new equipment for its growing Gymnastics Team Program.
  • Cambridge City Schools to help create libraries and foster reading enjoyment and enrichment in K-5 classrooms throughout the district.
  • Cambridge Intermediate School to help create an afterschool STEM Club.
  • Children’s Advocacy Center of Guernsey County to help rebuild staffing and provide trauma-informed services to children who have experienced sexual and physical abuse.
  • Dickens Victorian Village to help fund the installation of permanent signage and an awning at the welcome center.
  • East Central Ohio Educational Service Center to support its annual Guernsey County Reading Festival.
  • Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to fund the processing of deer, anticipated to feed at least 1,400 people.
  • Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council to provide meaningful Girl Scout experiences to more underserved K-8 girls in Guernsey County through its Community Outreach Program.
  • Guernsey County Senior Citizens Center’s Meals on Wheels program to fund materials for its annual “Share the Love” project, which provides baked goods to the county’s senior citizens during the holiday season.
  • Haven of Hope to help fund the completion and furnishing of its new administrative office.
  • Living Word Outdoor Drama Inc. to help purchase new microphones/headsets.
  • Salvation Army to help purchase instruments for a new Youth Music and Band Academy.
  • Society of St. Vincent De Paul Christ Our Light Conference to help provide transportation and housing assistance to those who are seeking employment or at risk of losing employment.
  • United Way of Guernsey, Monroe and Noble Counties to support its Tiny Book & Blessing Box, which will be stocked with children’s books and non-perishable food items.

Recent Projects

We are excited to announce the Guernsey County Foundation Family of Funds has over $15M in assets! The Guernsey County Foundation has reached a significant milestone that bodes well for numerous worthwhile entities, and also reflects magnificently on the local spirit of philanthropy.

The Foundation’s trustees gathered recently to celebrate achieving an asset base of $15 million for the benefit of the economic, cultural and educational climate in Guernsey County. This growth is significant. When it began as the Cambridge Foundation in 1988 the Guernsey County Foundation had assets of around $25,000. In 2005, the asset base was about $100,000. In 2007 it reached $1 million.


Guernsey Family of Funds

There are now some 57 members of the Guernsey County Foundation family of funds. All of the funds in the family of funds for Guernsey County have independent advisory boards.

The Growing Family of Funds includes:

  • Guernsey County Foundation Fund
  • Guernsey County Senior Citizen Center Fund
  • Gulfport Energy Fund
  • Miriam Hawes Legacy Endowment Fund
  • Mary Kackley-Brill Scholarship Fund
  • Leadership Guernsey Fund
  • The Living Word Outdoor Drama Endowment Fund
  • Madison High School Alumni Scholarship Fund
  • James R. Milligan Legacy Fund
  • Ohio Arts and Crafts Foundation Fund
  • Frank and Esther Ricketts Memorial Fund
  • Kevin Ritz Family Foundation Fund
  • Paul Sayanek Scholarship Fund
  • Winnie Mae Sharpe Education Scholarship Fund
  • Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center – Guernsey Health Foundation Fund
  • Doug Steele Memorial Scholarship Fund
  • Sara Lee Stevens-Youngs Family Memorial Fund
  • Loran and Shirley Stutz Fund
  • Loran & Shirley Stutz Scholarship Fund
  • McGlumphy Family Fund
  • Mandy McGlumphy Social Work Scholarship
  • Tostenson Family Foundation Fund
  • The Davey L. and Sandra Jackson Turner Scholarship Fund
  • James and Martha Thomas Scholarship Fund
  • United Way of Guernsey, Monroe, and Noble Endowment Fund
  • Ohio Arts and Crafts Foundation Fund
  • Old Guernsey County Conservation Association Fund
  • Scottish Rite Valley of Cambridge Endowment Fund
  • Maribeth Wright Fund for Guernsey County
  • W. Grant Hafley & Patricia J. Hafley Fund
  • Teresa Clark Memorial Scholarship
  • Elizabeth Burgess Briggs Trust Fund
  • Erven Trust Fund
  • Gregory Cardamone Scholarship
  • Harvey & Edna Ferrier Scholarship Fund
  • Isaac and Carey Esper Scholarship Fund
  • Joe Maward Memorial Scholarship Fund
  • John and Rose Dunlavy Scholarship Fund
  • Kathryn L. Duffey
  • Mary Moore Scholarship Fund
  • Ralph G. Ferguson Scholarship Fund

Guernsey Committee Members

  • Cynthia Bond
  • Dave Caldwell
  • Bryan Conaway
  • Matt Dolan
  • Jeff East
  • Joel Losego
  • Jeremy Morrow

  • Dan Padden
  • Rory Stelzer
  • Dave Wilson
  • Maribeth Wright
  • Bill Black, Ex-officio
  • Dave Ellwood, Ex-officio

Support the Guernsey Community

The Guernsey County Foundation receives contributions and bequests of all sizes from individuals, corporations and foundations to assist in the funding of projects and charitable organizations. The Foundation is both a recipient vehicle of financial gifts and a distributor of grants to area organizations that meet established guidelines.

Make a secure online donation to the Guernsey Family of Funds – be sure to name the fund you would like your contribution to be applied to in the Designation box.